Career and Education Opportunities for Environmental Planners in Anchorage, Alaska

For those living in the Anchorage, Alaska area, there are many career and education opportunities for environmental planners. There are currently 300 jobs for environmental planners in Alaska and this is projected to grow 20% to about 360 jobs by 2016. This is not quite as good as the national trend for environmental planners, which sees this job pool growing by about 30.6% over the next eight years. In general, environmental planners design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental health hazards utilizing various engineering disciplines.

Environmental planners earn approximately $33 per hour or $69,500 annually on average in Alaska. Nationally they average about $35 hourly or $74,020 per year. Compared with people working in the overall category of Green Engineering, people working as environmental planners in Alaska earn less. They earn less than people working in the overall category of Green Engineering nationally. Environmental planners work in a variety of jobs, including: soil engineer, water treatment plant engineer, and pollution control engineer.

The Anchorage area is home to four schools of higher education, including one within twenty-five miles of Anchorage where you can get a degree as an environmental planner. The most common level of education for environmental planners is a Bachelor's degree. You can expect to spend about four years studying to be an environmental planner if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Environmental Planner

Environmental Planner video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, environmental planners design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental health hazards utilizing various engineering disciplines. They also work may include waste treatment, site remediation, or pollution control technology.

Environmental planners collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians and other specialists, and experts in law and business to address environmental problems. They also inform company employees and other interested parties of environmental issues. Equally important, environmental planners have to design proposed project objectives and targets, and report to management on progress in attaining them. They are often called upon to furnish administrative support for projects by collecting data, providing project documentation and performing other general administrative duties. They are expected to help in budget implementation and administration. Finally, environmental planners inspect industrial and municipal facilities and programs to review operational effectiveness and insure adherence to environmental regulations.

Every day, environmental planners are expected to be able to listen to and understand others in meetings. They need to articulate ideas and problems. It is also important that they read and understand documents and reports.

It is important for environmental planners to request bids from suppliers or consultants. They are often called upon to advise industries and government agencies about environmental policies and standards. They also obtain and maintain plans, permits, and standard operating procedures. They are sometimes expected to assess the existing or potential environmental impact of land use projects on air and land. Somewhat less frequently, environmental planners are also expected to serve as liaison with federal and local agencies and officials on issues pertaining to solid and hazardous waste program requirements.

They also have to be able to layout and supervise the development of systems processes or equipment for control or remediation of water or soil quality and monitor progress of environmental improvement programs. And finally, they sometimes have to furnish technical-level support for environmental remediation and litigation projects, including remediation system layout and determination of regulatory applicability.

Like many other jobs, environmental planners must be thorough and dependable and be reliable.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Environmental Planner Training

University of Alaska Anchorage - Anchorage, AK

University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508. University of Alaska Anchorage is a large university located in Anchorage, Alaska. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 16,649 students and an admission rate of 68%. University of Alaska Anchorage has a master's degree program in Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering which graduated five students in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certified Energy Manager:
Since its inception in 1981, the Certified Energy Manager (CEM®) credential has become widely accepted and used as a measure of professional accomplishment within the energy management field.

Certified Energy Auditor:
The Certified Energy Auditor (CEA) certification identifies professionals as having the required knowledge and experience needed to succeed in the growing field of energy auditing.

Environmental Professional Intern:
The EPI credential is an opportunity for students who anticipate entering the environmental field, or for graduates who have entered the field within the last five years, to demonstrate personal knowledge of general environmental science.

Ventilation System Mold Remediator:
Ventilation System Mold Remediator (VSMR) Certification ensures an understanding of basic microbiological contamination, project assessment, and how to apply NADCA and other industry standards.

Geotechnical Engineering Technology Certification:
This certification program was designed for engineering technicians engaged in soil investigation and determination of engineering properties prior to and concurrent with initial construction activities.

Certified Transfer Station Technical Associate:
This certification was developed to address the increased interest in transfer stations and provide transfer station managers and others the opportunity to learn more about transfer station design and operation.

Certified Collection Systems Technical Associate:
By earning this certification, you will demonstrate knowledge and proficiency in designing and implementing efficient and effective collection systems.

Certified Construction & Demolition Materials Technical Associate:
Professionals who have earned their C&D Certification have shown proficiency in all aspects of the disposal and reuse of C&D materials.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska photo by File Upload Bot

Anchorage is located in Anchorage Municipality County, Alaska. It has a population of over 279,243, which has grown by 7.3% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Anchorage, 89, is well below the national average.

The top three industries for women in Anchorage are health care, educational services, and public administration. For men, it is construction, public administration, and accommodation and food services. The average travel time to work is about 20 minutes. More than 28.9% of Anchorage residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 10.2%, is higher than the state average.

Anchorage is home to the Chugach and the Black Bear Campground as well as Baxter Bog Park and Alaska Railroad Power Reserve. Visitors to Anchorage can choose from Courtyard Anchorage, Creekwood Inn and The Voyager Hotel for temporary stays in the area.